this is simply not a world i like the looks of
i agree labels and artists have to adapt to new ways, and i believe 12k has done that.
Indubitably.
+ there's much going on there, a long standing track record of quality releases, that speaks for itself. For as long as that image and the respect of your peers / them 'circles' keeps things afloat there's absolutely no reason to change anything drastically, is there?
I guess what I'm saying here is that adaptability isn't mere reaction to external circumstances, but also foresight and the ability to shape your own stance according to those changes already happening as well as those to come. And it doesn't take that clean a crystal ball to see where music distribution and promotion is headed...
cannot keep fighting against the piracy which is overwhelming.
That seems to be the anglestone of it all, right there. Loss of ownership, and no matter what is done as of yet to prevent or circumvent it, it seems clear that the battle is lost. The very music you create and work hard on releasing properly is not yours anymore, you don't control where it goes and how, etc. and finding retribution for it gets harder each and every day.
My point is that if someone (or an entity / label / or you know, me

) is to come up and profess loud and clear that they demand just and fair retribution for their work. By applying some form of 'fair trade' certification or encouraging a business model that promotes fair trade values, it's a way to take that ownership back.
Sure, the pirating will happen anyway, but it's a bet to make that the more aware people become, the less likely they are to purposefully hurt one another. That an educated purchase is an ethical vote. Etc.
And my best guess is that it's only a matter of time before it becomes a reality, how it will fare is another story as there are obvious logistical pitfalls and just like anything else the way it's managed will be quintessential to its perennity.