@LetItRock: The Ambients and some dance tracks have a method of stasis or near-stasis, while this one is specifically intended, as you note, to gradually build up tension, to make the eventual breakout into the full-on drums and bass come in as a huge contrast, a release of all that pent-up energy.

Stevie Ray Vaughan had an interview once where he talked about a song that goes to the dominant chord and then hangs there what feels like forever, in order to heighten the turnaround when it finally comes home to the tonic. It's the contrast that makes it work.

Dance music has a similar, common feature, "the drop", where the bass and drums come in heavy after a build-up. This is just a ***really*** long, very unusual build-up, using tools that are probably more suited to the subliminal, than as main themes.

For me it really does feel like the start of something.  I feel or think I understand where you are coming from or going to with this but......

Needs a tad more ear candy for me to really get with it.

Thanks for sharing.  (Oh from the beginning to the end )

dear snob, I really would like to hear the outcome once you add the voice to the track...please let us know!

 Ditto. Nice start to something. Mechanical and "Kraftwerk" like. Kraftwerk used vocals though. Don't give it up.

Thanks for the ideas, speedtom and Starise.

I think I'm going to "fork" the result. One fork towards additional material in the form of vocals, one towards more experimentation, this time without falling back on familiar 4-on-the-floor (and much shorter, probably, under 2 minutes).

It's just a matter of circumstances that I was learning how to do big synthesized drum sounds in dance style while I was building this piece, and the hybridization is more confusing than rewarding.

I agree with much that's been said here, but I believe you have something to work with.  Hopefully, experimentation leads to discovery.  Best of luck.