I don't think that to download for free is truly a problem for labels, even less for the artists, if we have a conscientious use of the download. This kind of music is already rather elitist at the cultural level, no need to be also financially elitist. Most of the people must have a free access to all musics (and arts), our love for music can't be stopped by monetary reasons, I don't argue that.
However, sharing music is (or should...) also the only and main purpose of the labels. Thus, the only means to help this music is supporting the involving labels which are inevitably within a capitalist society, a few people pay for pressing, printing and releasing these discs that they share for we.
Most of the labels concerned with the experimental and free music are not market driven. However, they have to co-exist within a capitalist economy and society. My guess is our more thoughtful audience understand this situation. My feeling is that one way they know they can support the music is by making purchases of the CDs we produce.Downloading for free as common creative licences are OK, but we have to support the creation and the diffusion of material or numerical stuffs as much as possible, what is the better and larger way for the evolution of this music. In fact, there are two ways, we CONSUME or not. If I choose to consume music, there are no sufficient (ideological and political in particular) reasons to justify HOW I consume because when I check a disc out, I accept its mode of production. Even if I hate money and work, the records which I like are creating within a working and financier capitalist society, because labels can't be outside that wether they want it or not.
As much as we would like to make this music freely available — and many of the musicians concerned play most of their live music in non-profit making environments — we need the audience and those who share our philosophy to engage with us in many ways. One way is to help us maintain some kind of programme of releases to help nurture and propagate this music. Whether we like it or not this can only be done — at the moment — by making CDs and other recordings within the industrial/commercial capitalist context. Pressing plants, printers, shipping/postal agencies and the like will not do their work for free.
Without getting some return on the costs of recording — which are achieved mostly through sales of CDs to people interested in the music — then there are no resources to make more music available. Thus the people interested in this marginal music will have fewer opportunities to hear this stuff. Freedom from copyright is a good aim. However, in the present circumstances your actions (and people like you) are in effect closing down the dissemination of this music and restricting the wider discourse of meaning — which ironically involves ultimate free access and exchange!
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