SIGGY, an alternative rock project led by neuroscientist Dr. Galen Buckwalter, has announced the release of its album Wirehead on March 15, 2026. The album draws inspiration from brain-computer interface research that translates neural activity into digital signals. Buckwalter's work with implanted microelectrode arrays at Caltech influenced the project's themes of consciousness and human-machine interaction.
SIGGY, an alternative rock project exploring psychology, philosophy, and technology, announced its new album Wirehead on March 11, 2026, from Los Angeles, California. The album, set for release on all streaming platforms on March 15, 2026, consists of ten tracks, including the title track "Wirehead," "Rimbaud," "Long Depression," and "Heavy in the Light." It blends alternative rock with experimental textures and introspective lyrics, addressing consciousness, identity, and the relationship between humans and machines.
The concept stems from neuroscientist Dr. Galen Buckwalter's research in brain-computer interfaces. Buckwalter, who leads SIGGY on vocals, has six implanted Utah microelectrode arrays in his brain, each about four by four millimeters, placed via a full craniotomy in six different regions. This research, conducted at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), originally focused on motor restoration but has enabled systems that convert brain signals into real-time sound.
"I have six Utah arrays in my brain, placed in six different regions," Buckwalter explains. "A brilliant Caltech graduate student developed an algorithm that allows me to create tones with my thoughts. The trippy thing is that I can think different types of thoughts—like humor or movement—and different neurons will activate. That thought generates a change in the system. It feels kind of like jazz. It’s a new form of music, literally."
The band includes Ryan Howes on guitar and backing vocals, a Pasadena-based clinical psychologist and author; Deborah Buckwalter, Ph.D., on bass and backing vocals, a clinical and neuropsychologist; and Paul Netherton on drums, a community figure in Altadena. SIGGY's name draws from Sigmund Freud, reflecting themes of the subconscious mind. The album's title references cyberpunk culture and the merging of biology with technology, sparking discussions on creativity's future amid advancing neural technologies and AI.
